Litsch

[LittleOzzy]

Jesse Litsch's return to the Jays rotation is anything but guaranteed.

In fact, there appears to be no guarantee at all.

“I told him after he got hurt that I can't gurantee him a spot,” Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos said Saturday prior to the Jays-Phils game.

“I talked to him a few days ago too and we'll re-evaluate him and see how things go. But we don't want to commit to anything.”

Litsch, who has been rehabbing since mid-May (forearm strain), has made two starts with class AA New Hampshire, and is now scheduled to make his next start with class AAA Las Vegas.

That start goes Sunday night in Vegas. After that, Litsch was expected to be ready for a return to the major leagues.

But the big league club has been happy - and rightfully so - with Carlos Villanueva, who came out of the pen to fill in the hole in the rotation, and has since gone 5-1 with a 3.15 ERA.

Litsch was to have an opening next Friday but now appears to be headed to Vegas for an undetermined amount of time. Anthopoulos said only poor performances or injuries would force the Jays hand on bringing Litsch back to the big leagues.

http://www.thestar.com/sports/article/1 ... rtain?bn=1

[baulderdash77]

I think that Stewart has passed him in the organization's eyes. Long term he wasn't a piece of the team.

[Randle McMurphy]

Guys like Litsch shouldn't be losing rotation spots especially when there are guys like JoJo Reyes still in the rotation.

[DonYon]

Guys like Litsch shouldn't be losing rotation spots especially when there are guys like JoJo Reyes still in the rotation.

Agreed, the Listch deserves better treatment than that.

[Lateral Quicks]

Guys like Litsch shouldn't be losing rotation spots especially when there are guys like JoJo Reyes still in the rotation.

Agreed. How muc longer do the Jays stick with Reyes is the question. Another bad start or two and his ERA goes north of 5.00 again.

[youreachiteach]

Guys like Litsch shouldn't be losing rotation spots especially when there are guys like JoJo Reyes still in the rotation.

Agreed. How muc longer do the Jays stick with Reyes is the question. Another bad start or two and his ERA goes north of 5.00 again.

I don't think it's so much "he's better than Jo jo" , it's more of the injury issue with Litsch.

How many times is this guy gonna get hurt? He'd have value as a trade chip if he could actually go more than three starts without hurting himself. I mean, if Litsch had as much talent as McGowan, sure, you'd just keep giving him chances because why not? But the team isn't going to spend much of its time with an oft injured number 5 guy who needs everything to go right for a quality start.

Jo hasn't been brilliant lately but he's still been okay. So what if his era goes over 5? He's a fifth starter who is able to log innings for you and get you the odd win. Of course, if a better option that Litsch presents itself--say with Stewart or McGowan or Alvarez--by all means, kick him out.

Until then, lay off Jo Jo. Most of you are having to stretch just to call him below average. His last 6 starts? Please.

[Randle McMurphy]

He's not been OK, he's been bad. The more than JoJo goes out there, the more he's going to destroy his trade value (which is really the only value he has to this team going forward, he's not good enough to be in the rotation when they plan to compete).

Injury prone or not, Litsch is simply the better pitcher and he's healthy right now. He should be in the major league rotation, if only to build up his own trade value.

[luenell]

He's not been OK, he's been bad. The more than JoJo goes out there, the more he's going to destroy his trade value (which is really the only value he has to this team going forward, he's not good enough to be in the rotation when they plan to compete).

Injury prone or not, Litsch is simply the better pitcher and he's healthy right now. He should be in the major league rotation, if only to build up his own trade value.

Since when did Jojo Reyes have any sort of trade value to begin with?